The Reader

Describe the structure of the novel. From one angle, Michael maintains a linear narrative. The story follows him and Hanna from their affair when he was a teen to her trial to her incarceration. Conversely, Michael scrambles time. He leaps back and forth to generate a thoughtful, complete narrative. How does the manipulation of time impact the plot?

Interrogate the problematic aspects of Michael’s affair with Hanna. How does the story abide by and deviate from beliefs about grooming and sexual predation? How does Michael view their relationship, and how does Schlink use literary elements to support or subvert that viewpoint?

There are many symbols in the story, including the trial, reading, and the tin the daughter keeps. Choose one symbol and examine how it relates to the story’s themes. How does it evolve in the text and deepen your understanding?